Restaurants, Cafes, Bakeries, and Bars
Cantina 1910: flavorful Mexican fusion in a colorful Chicago neighborhood. We’re talking small plates, ceviche, tacos, dinner plates, and we’re describing it all after two glasses of bourbon and mescal, with the lasso of truth compelling us to tell it like it is.
Do-Rite Donuts and Coffee makes doughnuts in The Loop. Their buttermilk old-fashioned is the best in Chicago. (You can also get them at Star Lounge.)
Beurrage’s vanilla glazed doughnut is unparalleled. You can get them in the South Loop at La Haven, or at the source in Pilsen. If you’re not in a doughnut mood – if that’s possible – Beurrage makes fantastic pastries of all sorts.
This is where Jesus likes to go after church on Sunday. Jesus Hernandez, I mean … my downstairs neighbor. Azul 18 is a New American (Mexican) restaurant in Chicago’s funkadelic Pilsen neighborhood. Jesus led me here for breakfast. He had a scramble. I filled up on crêpe.
Chicken Works and Salad Company is a grilled-chicken and salad bar joint in northwest Chicago (in the Irving Park neighborhood). MiLam reviews a meal it had there, while contemplating what “chicken works” means. Chicken will do? Chicken and everything that goes with it? An industrial chicken factory?
Honey Butter Fried Chicken: Chicago restaurant review. Delicious, trendy, deservedly on the slightly expensive side … weird tipping policy.
Eating in Memphis: ribs at Central BBQ, breakfast at Brother Juniper’s, a celebration of National Doughnut Day at Gibson’s Donuts, some coffee to go with those beautiful doughnuts at Otherlands, and a kick-ass pineapple chunk at Babalu.
The Scout, a sports bar in Chicago’s South Loop, serves up ordinary bar food that centers on American classics such as grilled cheese and tomato soup. Check out our review.
I recently had a corned beef skillet for breakfast at Dilbert’s in Interlochen (near Traverse City, Michigan), with a side of Cranberry-Walnut French toast and a sense of humor. I liked it.